


I swear I’m straight

by wernerner



Series: Discord [2]
Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, M/M, Masturbation in Shower, Mild Smut, Rick Riordan Demigod Universe | Riordanverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-15 13:53:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29560080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wernerner/pseuds/wernerner
Summary: Sykkuno is slowly, but surely, building his army of simps.Note: I don't know how ao3 works, but whenever I try to post a new chapter the first chapter title is what comes up instead of my series title. The only remedy I've found is posting it as a series instead of adding it as a new chapter. Sorry im kind of stupid. I recommend reading the first part first :>
Relationships: Corpse Husband/Sykkuno (Video Blogging RPF), Lily Ki/Michael Reeves, Ludwig Ahgren & Sykkuno
Series: Discord [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2164182
Comments: 12
Kudos: 98





	I swear I’m straight

**Author's Note:**

> Second part is Lud POV! Yes, I’m sort of copying Rick’s way of writing (switching POVS every chapter), because personally, I think it’s a really good way to give light to all the intricacies of each character. Plus, it’s fun as hell! Also, I’m aware that at the original riordanverse, Hades has no cabin in Camp Half Blood pre-Kronos war. But I am a Hades simp so we’re going to give him one like he rightfully deserves! Also, there are no children of Hypnos, and Nemesis, and Nike in my fic (yet :>)  
> I know this is a bit late, so I’m sorry if I took more than a week to post. I was a bit busy with online classes. Also, thank you so fucking much for the past comments on the last chapter. I wasn’t expecting positive feedback since this is my first fic, and I’m thankful for you guys. I hope you guys enjoy this! Special thanks to GhostMoon for proof reading and helping me with writing!

***Lud POV***

“Agh! My leg!” I exclaimed.

I hit the ground face down, with a loud thud. My leg stinging from the impact.

“Fucking hell Poki! Did you have to throw me that hard?” I screamed at Poki.

No response.

Poki was nowhere to be found. In fact, the only people besides me at the moment are the children of Hecate and Ares, Rae, and Chiron. It seems that the rest of my team hasn’t crossed the portal yet.

“Lud! Are you alright? Where’s the rest?” Rae inquired as she rushed over to me.

Rae was fully decked out as always. She was wearing her breastplate with a green shirt underneath. She had her celestial bronze shield tied over her backside; spear held at her left side. Her eyes a bright shade of amber, inquisitive, yet wild at the same time. Her long brunette hair seemingly flowing with the wind. I could go on, but Rae would punch me in the face for staring too long.

“Yeah, Im fine, just a grazed leg. Poki, Corpse, and Toast are still at the other side. We were only expecting the common Stymphalian birds, but somehow, a giant one went after us too.” I replied.

“That’s unprecedented. How about the newcomer? Where is he?” Chiron asked.

Look, I’ve seen a lot of things in my life. Some of them weird, most of them horrifying. But I swear, nothing is more bizarre than seeing a horse with a human body. Chiron is basically this half-man, half-horse creature. His bottom half the horse part, and his upper half the human half, and boy is he built like a Greek god statue. As opposed to his brown fur at his horse half, the hair on his head is brimming white. Technically, he can’t really get old, since he’s immortal. I’m guessing his hair went white stressing over the campers for hundreds—no, thousands of years maybe? Whatever the reason is, I just can’t stop myself staring. Like, where does the food go? Does he have a horse stomach or a human stomach? Is he hung like a ho--

“Lud, are you okay? Do you have a concussion?” Chiron asked as he felt my head and checked for any signs of blunt trauma.

“O-oh. Yeah, I’m alright. The newcomer is with Corpse. Toast instructed Corpse to take care of the newcomer in case he couldn’t cross on time for the portal today.”

“Delta-Alpha?” Rae asked.

“Delta-Alpha.” I answered back.

“Ugh. I should’ve gone with you guys. We can’t risk Toast like this being in the vanguard!” Rae said angrily.

“You were needed here Rae. We cannot stretch ourselves too thin. Plus, Toast himself wanted to do this. We have to trust his decision.” Chiron sympathized.

“I know, I’m sorry Chiron. I’m just frustrated.” Rae replied.

Rae took a moment to compose herself. Without missing a beat, she threw orders around her battalion.

“Miyoung, go fetch Lily and some other children of Apollo. We need immediate first aid for Lud and other possible casualties.” Rae ordered Miyoung, one of her generals.

“Roger!” Miyoung shouted.

“Yvonne, how much longer can you hold the portal?” Rae asked.

“I can hold it for one more minute! What’s taking them so long? The rest of my team are knocked out!” Yvonne grumbled.

Normally, I’d be laughing my ass off watching Yvonne get mad at us, if it weren’t for the fact that she’s actually risking her life right now. Yvonne is the counselor of cabin eighteen: Hecate’s cabin. She’s one of the smallest campers we have at the moment, but don’t let her height fool you. She’s the greatest spellcaster at camp half-blood at the moment. In fact, she’s probably the only demigod on the camp who can open a portal by herself without dying. But even she can’t hold it for too long, basing from her expression right now. Her pink hair sticking to her pale forehead, her eyes in visible pain trying to keep herself awake, it was only a matter time till she runs out of juice. 

“Agh, wait. Yvonne, let me help. I can still move.” Said softly by one of the previously knocked out children of Hecate

“Shut up and go to sleep Leslie! I can’t have you dying on my watch.” Yvonne scolded.

Chiron notices the situation and runs to Yvonne’s side to keep her from falling down. Rae on the other hand is giving orders to her battalion to escort all the knocked-out children of Hecate to someplace safer. Rae stands beside Yvonne to assist her as well, making sure she lets go if she can no longer hold the portal open. I’ve never felt so powerless in my life, I wish Poki hadn’t thrown me inside. Next time I see Toast, I’m going to punch him for acting like a stupid hero. I should’ve been the decoy instead.

“Come on, just a bit longer! Don’t give up on me body!” Yvonne screamed. Her breathing getting ragged.

Then, like some sort of angel, Corpse leaps out of the portal carrying Sykkuno on his shoulders, and Poki on his other arm. He slid against the dirt gracefully, reducing the impact on his legs. Behind him, the head of the momma robobird slid inside the portal. It turned to corpse with a deafening scream. Everyone at camp fell to their knees as they heard the screeching.

“Close!” Chiron screamed to Yvonne.

Yvonne passes out and the portal closes, decapitating the momma robobird. The head falls down to the ground with a loud thud. Loud ringing fills my ears due to the proximity of the scream. I felt my head spin as my vision got blurry with tears. I try to compose myself by breathing.

One.

Two.

Three seconds have passed. The camp slowly gets its bearings back. Lily’s team can be heard from the distance, rushing to treat the wounded. Corpse suddenly stands up, drops Sykkuno, and grabs Poki by the collar of her shirt, raising her up in the air.

“What. Did. You. Do.” Corpse growled, in a voice even deeper than usual.

Poki doesn’t resist. She just looked at him empathetically, her face dripping with tears.

“WHAT DID YOU DO!” Corpse shouts at Poki, his voice breaking under the tension.

The shadow beneath Corpse started to grow. Despite the clear appearance of inhibition of emotions, I could tell that Corpse was trying his hardest to keep himself calm. If he wasn’t, well, let’s just say that this scene would’ve been much less pretty.

“Toast. He, *hic*, he told me to do it, in case you wouldn’t listen.” Poki replied, forcing her voice to come out as she gasped for air while crying.

Suddenly, everything became clear to me.

“Foxtrot-Charlie” I said out loud.

“What?” Corpse asked me, eyes wide and full of pain.

“Toast knew you were loyal to a fault. In a life-or-death situation, he knew you would throw your life away for him.” I explained, slowly feeding him the answer.

“He made a command in case I would disobey.” Corpse said in a low voice.

“In case you would throw your life recklessly. He told us to stop you at all costs.” I added.

Corpse releases Poki. She falls with a soft thud. A heavy silence fills the air, as the rest of the camp hears of the situation. Lily, however, wastes no time and instructs her team to check on the newly-arrived campers for any injuries. Corpse ignores their concern and walks away to hide on his cabin.

“Corpse, wait! I have to check for—” Lily shouted.

“He’s fine. You can check for his injuries later. He needs some time alone.” I said to Lily, preventing her from getting any closer to Corpse.

Lily hesitates, but acknowledges my warning. And then she notices my fucked up thigh.

“HOLY SHIT LUD! YOUR THIGH! Why didn’t you say anything, you dumbass!” Lily shouted at me mercilessly, almost as brutal as my bleeding thigh.

“Put your leg on my lap, I’ll heal you right here.” Lily said, shifting to a motherly tone as she kneels down on the grass.

Lily is my half-sibling. Well, sort of. We both have Apollo as the same godly parent, but since gods don’t really have DNA, its sort of just a technicality that we’re siblings. On the demigod power spectrum, Lily got the jackpot, which makes her the counselor of cabin seven: Apollo’s cabin. She has the rare ability to heal or vitakinesis, which only some children of Apollo and Hecate can pull off. She can also learn and master any instrument immediately, which sounds less cool than healing, but I still think its fucking cool. Especially since I didn’t receive any superpowers besides being immensely attractive. But then again Lily’s also attractive. Her short, pink hair that complements her round face well. Her pale skin reflecting the warm daylight. Her soft angelic voice resonating around the field as she sings a hymn to our father to heal my wounds.

_You know what? Maybe Apollo DOES have his favorites._

“There, that should do it. Do you feel any residual pain?” Lily asked in a soft tone.

“Nah, I’m good. You should go to Yvonne. She needs your help.” I replied softly.

“Alright, but come to me later if you feel anything okay?” Lily reprimands as she rushes over to Yvonne.

I sat there and watched Yvonne slowly regain her consciousness with Leslie sitting by her side.

Chiron leaves Yvonne to Lily’s care and walked over to my side. He taps my shoulders. He gestures over to Poki who was breaking down, and Sykkuno who was oddly calm as they were being treated by the medics at Apollo and Demeter’s cabin.

“I’ll take care of him. Don’t worry about it Chiron. You’re needed somewhere else.” I reassured him.

“Are you sure child? I’m also worried about you. I know you’re troubled about Toast’s recklessness as well.” Chiron sympathized with me.

“I’m sure Toast would want me to do this. It’s the least he could expect from me.” I replied back, with a hint of confidence in my voice.

“Alright. Thank you young Lud.” Chiron smiled at me.

For a second, I could see a hint of pride in his eyes. I smiled faintly at the thought.

I approach Poki and hug her lightly.

“You did the right thing. It was a burden only you could carry.” I reassured her.

Poki didn’t respond. Probably weak from all the running. Either way, she’ll be fine. She’s tougher than most of us. I approach Sykkuno next. He had a blank look on his eyes. It was a common thing for newcomers to be confused, traumatized even. But Sykkuno didn’t look like that, instead, he looked lost. Like a lost puppy, waiting for his owner. He almost looks, familiar.

“Hey. How you holding up?” I gestured towards him.

His blank expression changed when he heard me. His gaze burning through me.

“Toast is fine, right? He’ll be here by tomorrow as well?” Sykkuno asked, his eyes pleading for an answer.

“Has Toast ever lied to you before?” I asked.

“N-no, never.” Sykkuno reassures himself.

He smiles softly. A bit of hope returns to his face.

“Sorry. I’m just in shock, I guess. I did almost die, and now I’m in god knows where. How do I even know you’re not some sort of human trafficking scheme right?” He chuckles softly.

“Have you ever seen a human trafficker that looked this good?” I jested.

He looked away shyly at the question. I approach him even closer.

“I know you have a lot of questions, so how about you hang out with me today? I’ll fill you in why you almost died getting chased by robobirds.” I coaxed him lightheartedly.

“O-oh, okay. Thank you, uhm.”

“Lud. Name’s Lud.” I reply.

“O-okay. Thank you Lud.” He smiled with his lips closed.

Okay, I know I almost died today trying to save this guy from robobirds, so I should be a little bit resentful towards him. But I think I’m way too captivated at his face. I mean I’m not gay! But this dude looks, kinda cute?

_Okay, maybe that is a little gay._

“Come on, let’s walk around. I’m sure your injuries are better than mine. I’ll introduce you to camp half-blood.” I say with an inviting smile on my face.

We walk around the camp and I introduce each and every single cabin to him. Each cabin representing a place for a certain god parent where their children can stay. I explained how this place, camp Half-Blood, was created specifically for us to train and be kept safe from monsters that wants to kill us for being children of literal gods. We meet some of the campers along the way and I forced them to greet him. He seems a little bit reluctant to introduce himself, but he didn’t want to be rude and introduce himself anyway. To conclude our tour, we went to the big three’s cabins.

“O-okay. So that one is Zeus’ cabin, that one is Hades’, and that one is Poseidon’s. They all seem to be empty.” Sykkuno said inquisitively.

“That’s because the big three, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, signed an oath to avoid producing anymore demigods. It’s sort of a sore topic, but their children were really strong and kind of caused a lot of bloodshed during world war two. Zeus’ cabin used to have an inhabitant five years back, I never really met her since she kind of died and turned into that big tree that protects the camp from monsters. It’s a long story for another day.” I point towards the tree in a distance.

“And you think I’m a demigod? Like, one of you guys?” Sykkuno asked, his eyes fixed on the tree.

“Not just a demigod, I think you’re a big three demigod.” I said with certainty.

“Wh-what? There’s no way. I’m literally a human noodle. Have you seen my arms?” He reasoned.

“Sykkuno, there’s no reason why a flock of monsters would rush over to two random demigods instead of going to us who were closer to them, and in greater number to add. Demigods have a certain type of scent that makes us irresistible to monsters. We’re like walking steak to them. So why would they rush over to you, who wasn’t even claimed yet by their godly parent? Sure, Toast was also a demigod, but he was only a son of Athena. It would’ve been stupid of them to go after you two, unless of course, your scent at that moment was stronger than ours. Which is absolutely common for children of the big three.” I explained to him with confidence in every word.

“That must be why we got attacked when we were kids, because I’m a demi-god? I thought I was crazy! Toast refused to ever talk about it after for some reason. Well, until earlier.” He said softly.

“He probably didn’t say anything to protect you. The more aware you are of your godly descent, the stronger your affinity with your powers get. And the stronger your affinity gets, the stronger your scent gets.” Lud explained.

He stayed silent for a while. He was taking it all in. His gears working hard to understand the situation he’s been put in. His life for the past years slowly making sense. It’s like this every time. The confusion, the denial, the fear of abandonment. It never gets easier really, we just learn to get stronger.

“How are you so sure that the scent of big three demigods is stronger when there hasn’t been one in a long time?” He bargained.

“Who said there hasn’t been one in a long time?” I gesture towards the Hades cabin.

“Someone lives there?” He asked, wide-eyed like a puppy.

“Yeah, and you know him too. He carried you all the way here.” I hinted at him.

“O-oh. Oh Jesus. No wonder he was so strong.” Sykkuno shuddered a bit at the thought.

“Don’t let the big guy intimidate you! He’s nice. He is a bit weird though. Anyone would be when you’re literally treated as an omen of death.” I rationalized.

“It must be hard on him. It seems so lonely in there.” He sympathized.

“It is. Which is why Toast was so important to him. Toast was kind of his first close friend. They’ve saved each other a lot of times in missions, they’re basically brothers at this point.” I chuckled.

“Oh. Brothers huh.” Sykkuno said, with a hint of jealousy and sadness in his voice.

_Oh crap, I hit a sore spot._

“Aaanyway! I know you’re probably a big three demigod, but I don’t want you to spend your time here. It’s very lonely in there. So how about you crash in my room for a while? At least until you adjust.” I coaxed him with my business man voice.

“Re-really? I mean, are you sure? I don’t want to be a bother.” He shifted nervously.

“You’re not a bother dude, I’m just looking out for you until Toast comes back. But, if you’re feeling in debt being saved by such a handsome man as myself, I have some laundry that needs folding in my room if you’re up to it.” I jested, not expecting an actual reply.

“Oh yeah, I can do that! Thank you so much, Lud!” He said enthusiastically, closing the gap between us for a second.

_Oh shit, he’s really close._

“O-oh. I’m sorry. I got a bit excited.” He shifted away nervously. Blood rushing up to his face.

“D-don’t worry about it. We’re friends now too, right?” I put my arm around him in an attempt to make him less nervous around me.

_It did not. I could hear his heartbeat drumming like crazy._

“You’re probably tired, let’s head back to my cabin. You can rest there for now. That is, if that’s okay with you? We’re sort of at full capacity at the moment with all the new campers, so we’re all kind of sharing rooms anyway.” I proposed.

“Yeah! I m-mean, if it’s cool with you of course.” He stutters.

“Of course. If it’s you, you’re welcome aaanytime.” I reply with a dumb grin on my face, desperately trying to make him comfortable.

“Pfft, okay. Thank you Lud.” He chuckles.

_Oh, wow. He’s, uhh… Really cute when he laughs. Maybe I did inherit more from Apollo than I initially thought._

“Let’s go Sykkuno.” I smirked.

I led him to the Apollo cabin. At night, it’s not much different from the other cabins, but at daylight, it shines as if it’s made of gold. A sun sits atop the roof, gleaming on all its gold glory. It’s annoying as hell. We step inside to see the main lounge filled with Apollo’s children singing and playing with each other. Out of all the cabins, I personally think our cabin is the most vibrant. The vibe here is definitely much more fun and comforting. It’s almost as if we’re not being constantly in danger of being killed by monsters. I led Sykkuno away from the lounge to head off to my room.

“So, here’s my room. It’s not that impressive, but it is much bigger than the other rooms in the cabin.” I boast.

My room isn’t really anything fancy. By the size of it, it can probably only hold two people at most. There’s a few cabinets and a vanity on the side, but aside from that, there’s really nothing else in my room. I can’t fit a console in here even if I wanted to. 

“You can rest there for now in my bed. I need to meet with the other counselors.” I said, a bit of exasperation in my voice.

“Oh, you’re not staying?” He said in a low voice.

“Oh, uhm. I’ll come back later I swear. If you’re hungry or thirsty, I have some food in my pantry, okay?” I reassure him.

“Okay.”

“I’ll see you later Sykkuno.”

I proceed to step out of the room when he grabbed my arm. I jerked back into place. I turned to find him staring on the floor, but still holding tightly.

“Come back sooner, please?” He said softly.

I froze. Suddenly, this man who I just met today, made my world feel so small. In a span of a minute, this entire room was everything that mattered.

“I-I will. I promise.” I stuttered.

He let go slowly, his gaze not leaving the floor. I step out of the room and close the door behind me. I take a deep breath and closed my eyes. The voice inside my head getting louder.

_AAAAGGH! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT? WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON WITH ME?_

I take another deep breath and opened my eyes. Suddenly I see Lily in front of me staring way too close for my comfort.

“Agh! What the fuck Lily?” I exclaimed.

“Are you sure you’re okay Lud? You seem more stirred up than usual. I could hear your heartbeat all the way from my room.”

_Of course she could, damn this daughter of Apollo._

“I’m fine Lily! I swear.” I protest.

“You’re sweating.” She adds.

“I’ve been running all morning.” I reasoned.

“Your body temperature is spiking.” She pursues.

“I-it’s been humid lately.” I stutter at the constant barrage of statements.

“Oh gods, did you just stutter?” Lily said in a conclusive tone. Like somehow, all the gears in her head worked for once in her life.

“I did not!” I rebuked.

“A son of Apollo, stuttering. I’m no daughter of Aphrodite, but I’m no dumbass either Lud.” She said mockingly.

A loud sigh escapes my mouth, my will defeated in front of Lily.

“Please don’t tell anyone else.” I begged her.

“Oh I won’t. But you better hide from Poki at the meeting. Let’s go, they’re waiting for us at the war table.” Lily suggests.

I take one final breath, and follow Lily to Chiron’s chambers. It was twelve noon. We were walking at the camp’s common grounds. The sun is high up in the sky, basking us in all its glory. I stare up in the sky, squinting at that humongous fiery ball. I wonder if Apollo can see us right now up there. I could really use some guidance right now.

“Stop staring at him Lud. He’s way too caught up in his own head to see you anyway.” Lily says, catching me staring at the sun.

“I know. I just wish he was here for us sometimes. I’m still a kid. I could use a dad talk sometimes.” I replied meekly.

“You fight with the fear of death. He fights with the fear of losing his prestige. You’re way better than him in every way. There’s nothing he can say that you don’t already know.” Lily said with a hint of anger in her voice.

“… Thanks Lily.” I smile under my breath.

She smirks.

“Still, it never occurred to me you were into boys too. Must be an Apollo thing.” Lily teases.

“Please shut up. I’ll never hear the end of it if the counselors find out.” I sighed.

“He’s cute. He looks like a puppy that’ll follow you around. Is that what you’re into?” She chuckles.

“I don’t know okay! I didn’t know I was into dudes until today. I could’ve inherited fucking healing affinity from Apollo, but NOO, I had to inherit his obsession with dudes.” I grumbled.

“Is there a problem with that?” Lily asks.

“Chicks are my familiar territory. Dudes are foreign land to me. I just met him today and I’m hardly breathing. How do I even approach him? What if I’m just a replacement for Toast until he comes back? I’m way too hot to be heartbroken Lily. I can’t go through that.” I reasoned.

“Look Lud, I’m not sure if anyone has told you this before. But you can be egotistic.”

“Wow, thanks Lily.”

“But, in a way. It’s kind of your charm. You’re conceited, but you’re smart enough to recognize it. You lure people in with your charisma despite your repulsive attitude at times. I mean, you’re not a counselor, but your voice holds as much bearing as the rest of us in the war table, if not more. Toast saw that in you, we all did. So maybe just act the way you normally do. Don’t be weird. I’m sure he’ll like you more that way.” Lily explains.

“You really think so?”

“Yes, you insufferable slut.”

We laugh at her remark.

“Maybe I don’t need Apollo after all. Thanks step-sis.” I jest.

“Ew, shut up.” Lily chuckled.

We arrive at Chiron’s chambers. A good majority of the attendees were there already, waiting for us. The war table was set up by someone ahead of time. At the center of the table was a huge map of Camp Half Blood. There were several trinkets placed on the map, each representing a demi-god troop. An owl for Athena’s demigod children, a shell for Aphrodite’s, a drachma for Hades’, and so on. Around the circular table were chairs designated for cabin counselors. There were eighteen in total, but three of them were expected to be empty since Hera doesn’t have children, and Zeus and Poseidon were forbidden on having more. Hades was forbidden too, but Corpse was there anyway. I haven’t seen Corpse all morning, but he seemed to have calmed down, all things considered. He was seated on his black ivory chair, custom made for the Hades cabin counselor. I head on to the right side of the table and pulled the chair for Lily, who sat on Apollo’s counselor chair. It was made of gold, which was a big contrast to Corpse’s chair. The attendees from right to left were Corpse (Hades cabin counselor), Jodi (Demeter cabin counselor), Rae (Ares cabin counselor), Lily (Apollo cabin counselor), Sydney (Artemis cabin counselor), Michael (Hephaestus cabin counselor), Poki (Aphrodite cabin counselor), Peter (Hermes cabin counselor), Scarra (Dionysus cabin counselor), Celine (Iris cabin counselor), Aria (Hebe cabin counselor), Tina (Tyche cabin counselor), and Yvonne (Hecate cabin counselor). The space between Sydney and Jodi was Athena’s counselor chair, Toast’s chair. It felt weird seeing it empty, but I kept that thought to myself and stood behind Lily, waiting for the meeting to commence.

Behind us, we heard the soft tapping of hooves on the marble floor. It was Chiron. He approached the end of the table closest to Corpse and stood solemnly. He arranged some articles of paper in the table and started talking.

“Counselors, once again, I’d like to extend my thanks for your attendance. I know it’s been hard on us with the sudden influx of campers, but the peaceful state of the camp is only a good indicator of your excellence as leaders. Before we get started, I’m sure I can speak for everyone that Toast’s absence is going to take a huge toll on us.” Chiron explained.

Some of the counselors nodded in agreement.

“So, as an emergency precaution. I’ve assigned Hafu as a replacement for Toast’s duty as the counselor of Athena’s cabin.” Chiron stated.

“What? He’s been gone for less than a week and you’re already replacing him?” Corpse growled.

“He hasn’t been gone for a week. He’s been gone for an entire month, isolating himself from our cabin and ignoring his duties as our counselor.” A voice said from the doorway.

It was Hafu. Her black orbs digging her way into Corpse, speculating every bit of information she could get from him. She had black short hair, and a lean figure. Her cheekbones high and accentuated. She had a dagger on her belt, which gleamed wickedly on the indoor lighting. She was intimidating in every way. It was almost like staring at a statue of Athena herself.

Corpse stared back with equal arrogance. His stare not leaving Hafu’s.

“Quite frankly, I do not care much for titles. I’m only doing this since Chiron asked me to. If I wanted to replace Toast, I would’ve done so a long time ago. I am every bit capable as he is, quite possibly even better.” Hafu said with a vacant look in her face. As if she were merely reading off words from a book.

Chiron cleared his throat to gather the attention of the counselors.

“As I was saying, due to certain reckless behavior displayed by Toast on the battlefield, and his lack of diligence on his cabin, Hafu will be replacing him. This holds true even if he comes back tomorrow.” Chiron said.

“He’s been absent because he’s been going on rescue missions a lot! The number of campers we have at the moment should be a clear indicator of his diligence to his duty alone.” Poki scowled.

“Rescue missions is not a part of a counselor’s duties. A counselor is elected to take care of the constituents on their cabin. The psychological strain of suddenly finding out about one’s godly roots can be damaging to one’s psyche, especially given the amount of trauma some of our campers have experienced before they were rescued. If a counselor is not attentive to their constituents, they will have a tendency to go rouge. Or worse, exploit their powers on humans. We do not want a repeat of the holocaust.” Hafu explained.

A heavy silence filled the room. Jodi decided to break the silence.

“Hafu has taken over Toast’s duty, which was taking care of Athena’s demigod children. As a counselor, you should know that Poki, or have you been neglecting your duties as well?” Jodi sneered.

Poki scoffed at the remark, but decided not to respond.

“I agree with Hafu, however this is still a bit sudden. Toast had been a critical part of our operations for the past few years. It was because of his leadership that our numbers have recovered. I fear that this decision will not sit well with our other campers.” Lily reasoned.

“At least sixty percent of our campers are from Toast’s rescue missions. And if I’m not mistaken, some of us here were directly rescued by him too.” Michael added and smirked in Jodi’s direction. Jodi turned red at the sudden guilt-tripping by Michael.

“I understand your concerns counselors. That’s why I was planning on giving Toast a new title. I understand now that the duty we’ve given Toast was not aptly fit for him, as it made his world and duties too small. The moment Toast comes back tomorrow, we’re assigning him as our polemarchos.” Chiron added.

_What the fuck is that._

There was silence among the counselors.

“Pole-what?” Tina asked, her face etched with visible confusion.

_Thank gods for Tina._

“Polemarchos. A warlord.” Corpse filled in.

“I believe this compromise should be pleasing for everyone, yes?” Chiron filled in.

Everyone murmured in agreement. No one could contest Toast’s military expertise. It was a job no one in the room could contest, even with his lack of presence.

“With that out of the way, I believe we should discuss our newly brought camper. Surely, everyone else is curious as to why Toast went to these lengths to get him?” Sydney asked.

“He was Toast’s friend from a while back. Toast knew that he was a demigod and decided to rescue him now, even though his abilities hasn’t manifested yet. From what Toast told us, he turned eighteen a week ago, and he’s been watching him in close proximity without him knowing even before the day of his rescue.” Corpse explained.

“That’s why he’s been gone for a week? He was watching him without backup? Doesn’t that seem a bit excessive for one demigod?” Scarra asked.

“I believe I can explain why.” I spoke up.

The room fell silent. All eyes shifted to me, who was now standing beside Lily. Counselors are usually the only people allowed to stay in these meetings to prevent any leaks from possible spies inside the camp. However, Toast believed that I was important enough to be in these meetings, and I wasn’t going to just stand here and prove him wrong.

“Earlier during the rescue, Toast anticipated the monsters would chase us all the way across the rift. So, in order to keep Sykkuno as safe as possible, us three, Poki and Corpse exposed ourselves in the open five hundred meters away from the house. This was to ensure that our combined scent would lure any possible monsters in a kilometer radius to us, instead of going to Toast and Sykkuno. However, Toast told us that they were still attacked about three hundred meters away from the rift.” I explained.

“Wait, how’s that possible? Corpse was with you. His scent alone should’ve overpowered Toast’s” Scarra added.

“That’s because Sykkuno is also a child of the big three.” Hafu explained, quickly putting the pieces together.

“Correct.” I added.

“That’s a good hypothesis Lud, but I don’t think anyone here is happy to hear that.” Rae said.

“Unfortunately, it’s the only one we have at the moment. It would explain why Toast was keeping him calm the whole time. Why he was extra careful with dealing with him. Children of the big three has the tendency to have powerful outbursts whenever they’re exposed to strong emotions.” Poki added, then visibly regretting the last sentence and turns her head to Corpse.

Corpse seemed unfazed with the words thrown at the table. At least, that’s what I could tell.

“Whatever the case is, we shouldn’t let him stay at any of the big three cabins for now. It’s way too empty in there. He needs someone now, more than ever. We need someone to watch over him in Toast’s stead.” Aria said with an inquisitive look on her face.

“Maybe even a love interest.” Poki said playfully. She probably didn’t mean it, but the other counselors cringed at the statement.

“Girls, I couldn’t agree more. And who better else to do it than Lud, right?” Lily said with a huge smirk on her face.

I recoiled at the mention of my name.

“Wh-what? Me?” I stuttered. At that exact moment, I’ve lost all the composure and respect I’ve gained from the table. A son of Apollo, stuttering. I have never felt more humiliated in my life than I did right now.

“Oh gods, did he just.” Peter said, wide eyed.

“Yeah, he did.” Michael added, with a shit-eating grin on his face.

The rest of the table started to look at me incredulously. Their stares boring into me, their gears working at full gear, quickly deducing what I was trying so hard to hide from them.

“I don’t get it. Why are we staring again?” Tina asked.

“Tina, our little Lud seems to have a new interest. A “boy” interest. I knew something was off with you the moment you walked in. I just couldn’t put my finger on it.” Poki snickered.

“No wonder he took his sweet time getting here. He must’ve been very busy with him.” Jodi smirked.

“What would Toast think?” Hafu said inquisitively.

In one move, everyone’s hostility with each other vanished. They were all suddenly united into a common goal, humiliating the absolute hell out of me. Lily is truly a cunning woman.

“Guys, I was just startled. There’s no need to overanalyze into it.” I said, trying to salvage what was remaining of my dignity.

“Oh please, a son of Apollo, the god of poetry, stuttering. I’m no child of Athena, but I’m no dumbass either.” Michael snickered, trying desperately to hold in his laughter.

“Lud, if you are troubled, you do not need to worry about our judgment. The Greeks have always been welcoming of people in all genders and sexualities. Even the Gods are open to attraction outside the norms!” Chiron said, trying to lessen my humiliation.

“Lud, if it helps. I do think this is a good character development from you!” Celine said with a smile on her face.

“Yeah Lud, you don’t have to be shy. We support you!” Tina said genuinely.

“I’m not shy!” I interjected.

“So you admit it, you do like him.” Yvonne sneered, jumping at the chance to make fun of me.

I take a deep breath, forcing the urge to leave the room to whittle down.

“I believe there are much more urgent matters to discuss, am I right Chiron?” I deflected.

“Oh, of course. We do not want to keep you counselors for too long. I believe you have other duties as well. Lud, I believe you are more than capable of taking care of this Sykkuno lad, so we’ll leave it in your hands. Without further ado, let’s continue the meeting.” Chiron said.

Despite everyone’s desire to keep humiliating me, the meeting was forced to continue with Chiron’s statement. It went on for several hours, discussing the activities for the weeks to come for the campers, and statuses of the monsters around camp. By the time we’ve finished, the sun had already settled. We adjourned the meeting and said our goodbyes to each other as we stepped out of the room.

“Ugh, these meetings always drag on. Imagine all the work I could’ve done if I didn’t go instead.” Michael complained to Lily as he approached us.

“What a comforting thought. Considering the state of your “machines”, maybe you should attend the meetings more often.” Lily sneered.

“What’s that supposed to mean flower girl? Michael said mockingly.

“Oh, nothing. Crackhead.” Lily sneered.

Michael did not take the remark with grace. He head locked Lily on his arms and noogied her. Lily did not like this sudden turn of events.

“Ow, let go dumbass!” Lily screamed.

“What if I don’t want to, flower girl?” Michael sneered, unrelenting on his attack.

Lily didn’t take the remark too kindly and elbowed Michael on his stomach with great force. Fun fact, demigod children are stupid strong. Michael staggers and falls to the ground as his lock on Lily’s head loosens. His hands went to his stomach trying to ease the pain. His face was contorted, trying to stifle back tears.

“Nngh.” Michael tears up.

“Oh gods, are you crying?” Lily asks genuinely.

“You didn’t have to hit me that hard!” Michael cries.

“You were being stupid!” Lily reasoned.

“I’m always being stupid!” Michael reasoned back.

Lily rushed over to Michael and started chanting to heal him, trying her hardest not to laugh at Michael’s expression.

“They look cute don’t they.” Yvonne said, approaching me from the back together with Poki. They must’ve heard the commotion and decided to pry in.

“They do, but you shouldn’t say that too loudly. I don’t want to be in Lily’s line of fire when she starts shooting you down with arrows.” I reasoned.

“Or Michael’s.” Poki added.

We laughed at the exchange. After a few seconds, Poki speaks up again.

“So, Sykkuno huh?”

“Can we not. I’m just confused Poki, that’s all.” I replied wearily.

“You’re not confused, you’re in denial.” Poki said.

“Huh?”

“I can feel your heart Lud. Love never lies. No matter how you try to hide it, it’ll show. And right now, you’re as red as a rose.” Poki said, as she put her hands over my chest.

“I just. I don’t want to do this again. You guys know how hard it was for me last time I felt this way.” I reasoned.

“You can’t go forward thinking like that. It’s a leap of faith Lud. Sometimes, you just have to jump.” Yvonne said as she tapped my shoulders and started walking away with Poki. I stood there, waiting for Lily to finish healing up Michael. Eventually, Lily approached me, a bit exhausted from all the healing she did today.

“You shouldn’t push yourself like that.” I reprimand her.

“I’ll be fine. Plus, you have other things to worry about. It’s night time, and you left him alone in your room all day.” Lily replies

_Oh shit. I promised._

As if reading my thoughts, Lily speaks again.

“Go on, I’ll be fine. There’s no need to babysit me. Michael will escort me back to my room.” Lily said.

“I will?” Michael asked.

Lily kicks Michael in the shin.

“Gah! I mean yeah, I will. Go on bud, I’ll take care of flower girl.” Michael reassured me.

“Alright, get some rest Lily. I’ll be going now.” I said, before running off to my room.

I started running frantically. I promised him I’d be back immediately. I hope he didn’t leave the room. Apollo children can be quite overwhelming when left unattended. At the distance, I saw the Apollo cabin. It no longer gleamed gold, but was now ivory under the moonlit sky. Quite frankly, I like it better this way, it’s less obnoxious to the eyes. I open the door and step inside my room. I find Sykkuno sitting on my bed, eyes fixed to my Gameboy advance playing Pokemon Emerald.

_Thank gods he didn’t leave the room._

I close the door behind me and approach slowly, still not making my presence known. He was seated on my bed, eyes glued to the Gameboy. It seems he hasn’t touched my pantry, even though he’s been here for about seven hours now. I could’ve just stood there and watch him play all night. But I didn’t want to keep him waiting, Emerald was a good game (quite possibly the best one in the franchise) but it could only keep him occupied for so long. Slowly, I sit beside him. The sudden shift of the bed causing him to notice my presence.

“Lud! How long have you been here?” He asked.

“Thirty minutes.”

“What?! Thirty minutes? Oh Jesus. Why didn’t you say anything? I didn’t even—”

“I’m just kidding, I just arrived. I see you’ve found my Gameboy.” I jest.

“O-oh. Yeah, I’m sorry. I got really bored. I shouldn’t have touched it.” He said softly.

“Dude, it’s alright. I did promise I’d come back immediately. The meeting took way longer than expected this time around. It’s a lot harder to discuss things without Toast.” I replied.

“That’s alright. He’ll come back tomorrow anyway.” He smiled at me reassuringly.

“Yeah, of course he will.” I replied, my hands gripping the blankets tightly. Trying not to squirm at the sight of him smiling affectionately.

“So, how far are you in the game?” I asked, trying to change the topic.

“Oh, I already have the rain badge. I’m just doing some last minute leveling on my Sceptile before I enter victory road.” He replied enthusiastically.

“Sceptile? That’s an odd choice. Blaziken is the best starter in emerald, Swampert being a close second given how strong surf and earthquake is at the later stages.” I explained.

“I guess that’s true. I’m really just a sucker for grass types. I remember getting pokemon red when I was a kid, and the moment I saw oak offer Bulbysaur I just couldn’t take my eyes off him” He explained, his eyes lighting up at the conversation

“Bulbysaur?” I smiled, the whites in my knuckles starting to pop.

_It’s too much. This man cannot be real._

“Yeah! The grass starter.”

“You know its Bulbasaur right?”

“Wh-what… I’m pretty sure its Bulbysaur.” He reasoned.

“You might have mild dyslexia Sykkuno. Everyone in camp has it, some more severe than others. It’s the side-effect of being a demigod.” I explained.

“O-oh. Huh… I never knew.” He muttered.

“That’s probably why the kids at school laughed at me as a kid whenever I told them my starter. No one really told me how to pronounce it correctly.” He said sadly.

_How dare they._

“Don’t worry about them Sykkuno. I think you’re way cooler than them anyway.” I said with a huge approving smile on my face.

“You don’t have to lie to me Lud.”

“Are you kidding? It’s true! If they saw what you saw today, I assure you, they would’ve shit their pants. But you didn’t, because you’re fucking cool Sykkuno.” I protested, my body instinctively getting close to his.

“You really think so?”

“Yeah.” I replied. Our faces now way too close for comfort. But I didn’t mind. I’ve wanted to see him all day. I can’t get another chance like this, not when Toast comes back tomorrow.

“Th-thank you Lud.” He said under his breath, his face now facing mine. Reflexively, I approach him slowly, his eyes not leaving the ground. My hands now softly touching his. He recoils a bit, but he just sat there, a bit red and possibly lightheaded. My heart now beating out of my chest, or was it his? I couldn’t tell anymore. In fact, do I really want this? Does he want this? His breathing was now audible through my ears with our proximity. He opens his mouth to say something, when he was cut off by a knock in the door.

“Lud? Are you inside? I brought food since the counselors were unable to attend dinner.” Aria shouted from outside the room.

For some reason, I felt thankful for the interruption. I’m not sure my heart would’ve survived if I went through with it. I put some distance between us and turned to the door.

“Come in Aria!” I shouted.

Aria walked in with a trolley of plated food. She was wearing a black polka dot dress with black chucks to match. Her short lilac hair flowing freely as she pushed the trolley inside. Her black eyes widened immediately as she spots that I was not alone. She immediately rushed over to Sykkuno, took his hands and clasped them on her own.

“Oh gods, hi! You must be Sykkuno. I’m Aria, counselor of Hebe’s cabin. It’s really nice to finally meet you!”

“H-hi Aria. Nice to meet you too.” Sykkuno responded.

“Oh wow, you are adorable. No wonder…” Aria said with a sliding glance over to me. She smirked like a hyena looking to torture one of its prey.

“Oh wait, don’t tell me you haven’t eaten Sykkuno?” Aria asked.

“Uhm, no I haven’t actually. I heard the campers shouting earlier about dinner, but I didn’t want to leave the room without Lud. I was scared I’d get lost.”

“That’s horrible! Here, take this plate. I’ll just whip up another batch for the other counselors.” Aria said.

“A-are you sure? I don’t want to be a bother.” Sykkuno replied.

“You’re not a bother Sykkuno! Is that what Lud’s been telling you? You shouldn’t listen to him, he can be a pri—”

“N-no! Lud’s really nice. He’s been taking care of me this whole time.” Sykkuno smiled softly.

_Get fucked Aria._

“Well, I guess I can’t argue with that. Just tell me if he’s being a big meanie okay? I’ll kick his butt.” Aria insisted.

“Wow, I’m terrified.” I teased.

“Hmpf. Anyway, here’s both of your plates. Unfortunately, I couldn’t bring you guys any goblets, since they’re strictly left at the pavilion. Soda or fruit juice Sykkuno?” Aria asked.

“I’m good with fruit juice.”

“Alrighty, here’s your juice box. I’ll leave your plates here in the table. Just bring them back tomorrow Lud.” Aria reprimanded.

“Alright, will do.”

“Goodnight boys! Don’t stay up too late if you know what I mean.” Aria chuckled.

“Yeah, yeah just leave already.” I replied playfully.

Aria left the room with a soft thud on the door. Her trolley loudly rolling in the hallway until it was no longer audible.

“You should eat. You haven’t eaten anything all day, you didn’t even touch my pantry.” I said, acting like the past few minutes didn’t just happen.

“Okie. The food looks nice, did Aria make them?” He asked.

“She did, so you better start eating them while they’re still warm.” I said, as I grabbed my plate and started eating.

I figured he wouldn’t start eating unless I was, so I took the lead. He gingerly grabbed his own plate and fork, slowly stabbing through the meat before finally putting it in his mouth.

“Oh wow.” He said in awe.

“It’s good, right? Normally, the dryads make the food for us in the pavilion. Their food is great too, but Aria’s cooking is just divine.” I explained.

“Mmhm” He mumbled, losing his inhibition and scarfing down the food.

“Hey, slow down. No one’s taking away your food.”

Unfortunately, he didn’t seem to hear me over his scarfing and started to choke on the food. He started coughing, his right-hand clutching at his chest.

“Woah, woah. Here, wash it down first.” I hold his head back to sit him upright and put the bottle tip in his lips. He closed his eyes and started chugging. After finishing the bottle, he takes a deep breath.

“I’m sorry. I guess I was hungry.” He smiled shyly.

“It’s alright. Go finish your meal, I’ll look for some toiletries in my pantry, then you can take a shower.”

“Okay.”

I stood up and set my plate aside. I went to my closet and grabbed some toiletries and some of my clothes he can borrow for now. I set them on the table for him to grab after he’s done eating.

“I’ll go first in the showers. There shouldn’t be anyone there at this time, since everyone is already getting ready for bed. You can follow me after you’re done eating.” I instructed.

“You’re not gonna finish your food?” He asked.

“I’m watching my weight. You can finish my plate if you want.” I told him.

“Okay. Will do.” He said, as he takes the rest of my food and eats it. For someone so slim, he has a bit of an appetite.

“Where do I sleep later?” He says, his mouth half-full with food.

“In the bed?” I replied, a bit confused with the question.

He stared at me, then suddenly turned red at my answer. Suddenly, I realized what he meant.

“O-oh! I have an extra futon below your bed if that’s what you were thinking. I’m gonna sleep in the futon tonight.” I replied quickly, turning red at the idea.

“O-oh. But I should sleep at the futon Lud, you should sleep in your bed.” He replied.

“No, you’re my guest. You should sleep in the bed. I insist.” I asserted.

He takes a moment to think. His heartbeat slowly recovering.

“Do I have the option to say no?”

“Unfortunately, you don’t.” I said smugly.

“Pfft, okie then. I’ll follow you later after I finish this.” He chuckled.

I took that as the go signal and grabbed my bath towel and toiletries. I walked towards the male cabin bathroom, which glowed brightly in the fluorescent lighting. Lily is very strict with cleanliness, so our bathroom is kept clean at all times. I stepped inside one of the cubicles and removed my garments. I hung my bath towel on the plastic spike in the wall, and spun the shower valve. Warm water sprung from the shower head and started to trickle me with its warmth. I take the moment to finally calm down, and focus on the warmth flowing through me. All day, I couldn’t keep my thoughts off of him. I can finally have some time to myself. At least, that’s what I thought. His image kept popping into my head, those pleading eyes, soft hair, pink lips. I got lost in thought for how long, until I realized what was happening. I looked down and I saw my member, stiff and a bit red from the heat I presume. I felt guilty, I didn’t want to touch myself. But I knew that if I didn’t do this, I would be kept up all night thinking about him. Against my better thinking, I touched the tip of my member lightly. It was hard and pent up, the tip leaking already, even though I barely touched myself.

“F-fuck.” I cursed softly.

I placed my left arm against the wall and rested my head against it. Eyes closed, I began to lightly stroke myself. My palm softly rubbing against my head. The leak from my member providing some lubrication. My breathing getting ragged, as I hasten the pace a bit. His image popping in my head, all vulnerable and beneath me. Pleading and asking me to caress him. His familiar eyes, his cheeks, his lips, his body. I couldn’t get enough of it. I felt myself approaching climax as my hands rub faster against me. My moans now escaping my lips without control. My breathing getting lighter as the warm water asphyxiates me.

“Sykkuno. Fuck…” I cry out softly.

With a final stroke against my member, I felt myself climax. White liquid escaping my member and propelling itself in the walls of the cubicle. My knees buckling a bit at the sudden stimulation. With my breathing still ragged from the climax, I decided to compose myself. I clean up my mess, and decided to avoid thinking about what I’ve just done. The image of Sykkuno didn’t leave my head, but at least I was calmer now. I grabbed my towel and decided to dry my hair, when I realized one fatal mistake. I left my change of clothes in my room.

“Fucking hell!” I cursed.

I step outside the cubicle, still a bit wet, but my towel wrapped around my lower half. I took a few steps outside when I saw Sykkuno in front of me. He was holding my change of clothes, together with his own.

“O-oh. Lud. You forgot your change of clothes in the bed. I brought it with me.” He said softly.

“Oh, thank you. I was about to fetch them actually.” I extended my hand, when I realized that I was still hard, my member still not fully relaxed after touching myself.

_FUCK. NOT NOW BUDDY. PLEASE DON’T NOTICE PLEASE DON’T NOTICE._

I grabbed the clothes, and decided to just change in my room instead and awkwardly excuse myself out of the showers.

“Have a good shower mate.” I said out loud, trying to act like I didn’t just walk out with a boner.

“O-okay. Goodnight Lud.” He replied.

“Goodnight Syk.” I replied back, running my way back into my room. My face flushed red with embarrassment.

.

.

.

.

***short Sykkuno POV***

_Oh Jesus, was that his boner._

I shake the thought out of my head. My head was already swimming with thoughts of him. We were so close earlier. He approached so intimately, I thought he was going to… No. I’m reading too much into it. We’re just friends, right? We just met today. Plus, girls aren’t really into me. Then again, he’s not a girl.

_Something feels familiar about him. But that can’t be right? I’ve never seen him before in my entire life._

Maybe, he felt it too? God knows at this point. I blushed as I remember the scene earlier. His hands accidentally touching against mine, his warm breath was sticking to my neck, as I looked down on the Gameboy I was holding. He smelled so nice. And just now, I got to see him in his full glory. His soft gleaming chest, his toned arms, his cute ni--

“Nngh, no Sykkuno. Bad thoughts, super bad.” I said to myself, as I proceeded to shower.

I finished my bath and got dressed on Lud’s clothes. They smelled like him, I couldn’t get enough of it. It was a bit big on me, but it felt cool on my skin. I slowly make my way to Lud’s room. I stepped in to find him snoring softly on the futon below his bed. He was sprawled sideways, a bit of his toned stomach exposed. He must’ve been really tired. I made my way into his futon. Carefully adjusting my weight, to not make too much of a noise. I covered him in his blankets, then proceeded on his bed that he lent me. I rest my head in the pillows and closed my eyes. I hope Toast comes back tomorrow, maybe he can make sense of what’s happening to me.

I fall asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Notes: Hi! Once again, I’m sorry this took so long for me to write! I’ve been quite busy with school, and I don’t think my sched will ease up on the following weeks. But I’ll make sure to keep posting atleast every two weeks! Next chapter will be even more exciting, since I’ll finally reveal some major plot points! Also, try to guess who’s POV it’ll be for next chapter XD. I’ll also release a list of the cabins and counselors for everyone’s convenience on the following chapters. Thank you for reading!


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